Denver and the West

Denver better than most in construction jobs

Denver is one of the few metro areas in the country that added construction jobs last year, thanks in part to the redo of Denver Union Station and the 122-mile FasTracks mass-transit project, transportation and construction officials said Tuesday.

The lag in construction work, along with the lack of qualified construction workers, does not bode well for the American economy, said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America.

Journeyman electrician Shawna Smith and apprentice electrician Ryan Bell work on punch-list items as part of the redevelopment of Denver Union Station downtown. Denver is one of the few metropolitan areas in the country that added construction jobs last year, thanks in part to the redevelopment of the station and the 122-mile FasTracks mass transit project, said transportation and construction officials on Tuesday. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

"A nationwide survey of construction firms found that two-thirds of contractors are already having a hard time finding qualified workers," Simonson said while standing in the middle of the Union Station Transit Center. "Seventy-nine percent of contractors expect the shortages to remain bad, or get even worse, over the coming year."

The Denver metro area is the exception as it placed among the top 10 out of 339 metro areas in the country for construction jobs added in the past year, Simonson said. According to the contractor group, the Denver metro area added 3,600 construction jobs between February 2013 and February 2014.

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He noted that construction employment in the metro area has gone from a February low point of 64,300 in February 2011 to 77,500 in February 2014. That 21 percent increase is more than double the 9 percent increase in construction employment nationwide in the past three years.

"I think what is going on around the Denver Union Station contributes greatly to that increase," Simonson said.

Workers take part in a fire- safety drill Tuesday as work continues on the massive face-lift at Denver Union Station that has been a boon for construction jobs. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

As many as 700 people have been working on or around the redevelopment of Denver Union Station since its face-lift started four years ago, said Phil Washington, general manager for the Regional Transportation District.

In all, as many 10,000 people have been working at one point or another on the FasTracks project, Washington said.

The Union Station Transit Center will have its grand opening May 9, and the bus concourse will begin operation May 11.

The $500 million project includes 100,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, and boutiques; the Crawford Hotel, which opens in July; as well as bus, light rail, a new 22-gate bus concourse, Amtrak and future commuter rail service.

Washington said nearly $1 billion in residential and retail development has emerged around Denver Union Station, which will help pay off $300 million in government loans a decade sooner than planned.

"This is the type of development and partnerships that has really never been seen in this country," Washington said. "This is the mother of transit-oriented development in the United States."

Simonson also unveiled the association's plan to prepare a new generation of skilled workers, which calls for schools, construction firms and local construction associations to establish career and technical training programs.

The plan is similar to Denver's regional Workforce Initiative Now effort that trains people for skilled work. Many have been through the program and now work in RTD jobs, said Washington.

"This helps identify, assess, train and place community members into careers in transportation and mixed-use development projects, which helps the economy," Washington said.

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